Chapter Text
There was a grave, marked 37. No epitaph, no date. Only a name.
Helsen Wagner was a very private person, as he was soft-spoken and often kept to himself. Although he was only in his late 20s, he was already married. Before his disappearance, he was a very talented cartographer and was my colleague. I worked with him for a few years and yet I hardly knew about his personal life. However, we undertook exceptional work to discover a new island off the far coast of Begil.
The small town eventually learned how he died, it wasn’t ignored. The revelation made it to the small section in the local newspaper, just below a satirical cartoon of some political debate.
There was an avalanche and an unmanned wagon skidded on ice and at top speed, obliterated poor Wagner’s carriage into smithereens. The unrecognisable remains of the man were later found within the wreckage. However, I had later learned that it was a sunny day yesterday and there was no sign of any form of avalanche announced throughout the day. It all seemed a bit fishy.
I had mourned for him, for he was a terrific partner albeit quiet but certainly friendly. I could almost call him a friend.
His life has unfortunately ended, but one thing remained.
A small piece of parchment that had a symbol of a feather lay untouched on the scene. The wind carried it afar, its edges flapping softly like a bird. The paper travelled for almost a day before it landed straight into my open window, onto my desk.
It was dusk, and I had just woken up from my daily naps. I had heard a strange and quiet chirping noise, neither bird nor artificial. I hobbled over to my study room and there, upon my desk, lay the parchment, decorated with faint spots of dried blood.
Suddenly, in front of my very eyes, the paper began to transform. The leafs folded gingerly to become... a small bird. So that’s what made the chitters.
“Unfinished business?” I questioned.
The bird nodded and gestured to its right wing.
I noticed that there were three words etched delicately into the material:
Travel to Dequin
The name of the island Wagner and I located , I realised.
I went to retrieve my dusty coat.